Touchstone - Revision history

JASON10668: Add languages template.

2026-02-02T12:39:55Z

Add languages template.

Bathbombman: fix formatting error

2025-06-28T23:44:35Z

fix formatting error

Umbire the Phantom: cite and detail SLASH'EM stuff some

2025-06-24T03:29:18Z

cite and detail SLASH'EM stuff some

Umbire the Phantom: and I think that's everything (up to SLASH'EM anyway)

2025-06-24T03:18:26Z

and I think that's everything (up to SLASH'EM anyway)

Umbire the Phantom: expand, detail

2025-06-24T02:03:03Z

expand, detail

Ion frigate: arguably true in general but that was a typo

2025-06-22T09:50:01Z

arguably true in general but that was a typo

Ion frigate: somewhat harder to ID in slash'em; cannot upgrade to a touchstone

2025-06-22T09:48:05Z

somewhat harder to ID in slash'em; cannot upgrade to a touchstone

Umbire the Phantom: /* History */ potholes

2024-08-01T16:26:57Z

‎History: potholes

Umbire the Phantom: /* History */ note C343-355

2024-08-01T16:26:23Z

‎History: note C343-355

Umbire the Phantom: style guide on variant templates

2024-01-20T19:17:55Z

style guide on variant templates

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:39, 2 February 2026
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@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 {{message|"scritch, scritch"}}
-If the hero is [[blind]], this noise will also occur when applying a touchstone to any kind of gem or rubbing the touchstone on that gem.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2391|nethack=3.6.7}} [[Gemstone]] and [[mineral]] [[ring]]s will produce the same messages as valuable gems when used with a touchstone.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2403|nethack=3.6.7}}<ref name="realgem"/> Items made of materials other than iron will produce distinct messages when they are rubbed on a touchstone or one is applied to them, with no effect on either item otherwise%mdash;see the {{sa|Messages|messages section}} for details.
+If the hero is [[blind]], this noise will also occur when applying a touchstone to any kind of gem or rubbing the touchstone on that gem.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2391|nethack=3.6.7}} [[Gemstone]] and [[mineral]] [[ring]]s will produce the same messages as valuable gems when used with a touchstone.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2403|nethack=3.6.7}}<ref name="realgem"/> Items made of materials other than iron will produce distinct messages when they are rubbed on a touchstone or one is applied to them, with no effect on either item otherwise&mdash;see the {{sa|Messages|messages section}} for details.
 ==Strategy==

@@ Line 80: / Line 80: @@
 ==Variants==
 ===SLASH'EM===
-In [[SLASH'EM]], attempting to use an unidentified gray stone on a [[weapon]] or [[tool]] will act as if the stone is a [[whetstone]], which is new to SLASH'EM and designed for use with weapons, and the attempt will always fail if the gray stone is not a whetstone. As a result, it is somewhat harder to informally identify touchstones by applying or rubbing: iron weapons and tools will not produce the characteristic "scritch, scritch" message&mdash;iron wands and armor will behave as normal, as will any amulet made of iron (i.e. all of them, except the [[Amulet of Yendor]] or its [[cheap plastic imitation]]).
+In [[SLASH'EM]], identified touchstones can only be used on gems:{{refsrc|apply.c|2223|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|apply.c|2231|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}}{{refsrc|apply.c|2241|version=SLASH'EM 0.0.7E7F2}} attempting to use an unidentified gray stone on a [[weapon]] or [[tool]] will act as if the stone is a [[whetstone]] (which is new to SLASH'EM and designed for use with weapons), and the attempt will always fail if the gray stone is not a whetstone.
 [[Dipping]] a touchstone into a [[potion of amnesia]] will turn it into a [[flint stone]]. This makes it a bad idea to use up the hero's only touchstone this way, since they cannot be made by [[upgrading]] any gray stone&mdash;however, it also provides a potential use for excess touchstones, by converting them to flint and then upgrading them into [[luckstone]]s or [[healthstone]]s.

@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 The effect of applying a touchstone to a gem or rubbing the gem on it varies depending on the gem type and the touchstone's beatitude:{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2346|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2409|nethack=3.6.7}}
-* For an uncursed touchstone, applying it to a valuable gem will leave streaks of that gem's color on the touchstone, while [[worthless glass]] will instead leave scratch marks.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2424|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2428|nethack=3.6.7}} Doing this with any other type of gray stone will leave colored scratch marks on the stone.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2463|nethack=3.6.7}}
+* For an uncursed touchstone, applying it to a valuable gem will leave streaks of that gem's color on the touchstone, while [[worthless glass]] will instead leave scratch marks.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2423|name="glassy"|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2428|name="realgem"|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2470|name="scratch"|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2474|name="streaks"|nethack=3.6.7}} Doing this with any other type of gray stone will leave colored scratch marks on the stone.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2463|name="notouch"|nethack=3.6.7}}
 * For a blessed touchstone, applying it to a gem will immediately identify it, [[auto-identify]]ing the touchstone as well if applicable, and a hero that is an Archeologist or a [[Gnome (starting race)|gnome]] can use uncursed touchstones as though they were blessed.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2413|nethack=3.6.7}} Using an uncursed or blessed touchstone while [[hallucinating]] will produce [[YAFM]] with no other effect.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2393|nethack=3.6.7|name="fractal"}}
 * A cursed touchstone behaves as an uncursed one does, but has a {{frac|5}} chance of shattering any gem other than a gray stone that is rubbed on it, unless that gem is also an [[artifact]] (though no applicable artifact gems currently exist).{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2376|nethack=3.6.7|name="shatter"|comment=Of note is that [[The Heart of Ahriman]] is the only artifact gem in the game, and due to being a luckstone it is already immune to shattering.}} Doing so while hallucinating will have the same effect with a different message.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2381|nethack=3.6.7}}
-If the hero applies a touchstone to any item made of [[iron]] or rubs such an item on a touchstone, it will produce a distinct noise:{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2349|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2476|name="ironscritch"|nethack=3.6.7}}
+If the hero applies a touchstone to any item made of [[iron]] or rubs such an item on a touchstone, it will produce a distinct noise:{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2349|name="scritch"|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2476|name="ironscritch"|nethack=3.6.7}}
 {{message|"scritch, scritch"}}
-If the hero is [[blind]], this noise will also occur when applying a touchstone to any kind of gem or rubbing the touchstone on that gem.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2391|nethack=3.6.7}} Items made of materials other than iron will produce distinct messages when they are rubbed on a touchstone or one is applied to them, with no effect on either item otherwise%mdash;see the {{sa|Messages|messages section}} for details.
+If the hero is [[blind]], this noise will also occur when applying a touchstone to any kind of gem or rubbing the touchstone on that gem.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2391|nethack=3.6.7}} [[Gemstone]] and [[mineral]] [[ring]]s will produce the same messages as valuable gems when used with a touchstone.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2403|nethack=3.6.7}}<ref name="realgem"/> Items made of materials other than iron will produce distinct messages when they are rubbed on a touchstone or one is applied to them, with no effect on either item otherwise%mdash;see the {{sa|Messages|messages section}} for details.
 ==Strategy==
@@ Line 52: / Line 52: @@
 ==History==
 The touchstone first appears in [[NetHack 3.4.0]]. From this version to [[NetHack 3.4.3]], including some variants based on those versions, Archeologists start out at Basic [[skill]] level in [[sling]]s as a result of their starting touchstone, which is considered sling [[ammunition]]. This is [[Bugs in NetHack 3.4.3#Bug C343-355|bug C343-355]], which is fixed for [[NetHack 3.6.0]] in May 2008 via {{commit|d5ca34a45b80450620cf689d8c25acc5b3f1876d}}.
 ==Messages==
-{{message|"scritch, scritch"|You rubbed an iron item on a touchstone while not blind, or rubbed any gem on a touchstone while blind.}}
+{{message|"scritch, scritch"|You used a touchstone with an iron item while not blind, or used any gem with a touchstone while blind.<ref name="scritch"/>}}
-{{message|You see <color> streaks on the stone.|You rubbed a valuable gem on an uncursed touchstone.}}
+{{message|You see <color> streaks on the stone(s).|You rubbed a valuable gem on an uncursed touchstone or stack of touchstones.<ref name="realgem"/> This message also occurs if you apply any gray stones to an item of a [[flimsy]] material, or else rub it on the stone.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2456|nethack=3.6.7}}}}
-{{message|You make scratch marks on the stone.|You rubbed a piece of worthless glass on an uncursed touchstone.}}
+{{message|You make scratch marks on the stone(s).|You rubbed a piece of worthless glass on an uncursed touchstone.<ref name="glassy"/>}}
 {{message|Oh wow, man: Fractals!|You tried to use a touchstone while hallucinating.<ref name="fractal"/>}}
 {{message|A sharp crack shatters <one of> the <gem(s)>.|You destroyed a gem by rubbing it on a cursed touchstone.<ref name="shatter"/>}}
 {{message|You feel something shatter.|As above, while blind.<ref name="shatter"/>}}
 {{message|Oh, wow, look at the pretty shards.|As above, while hallucinating.<ref name="shatter"/>}}
 ==Variants==
@@ Line 68: / Line 82: @@
 In [[SLASH'EM]], attempting to use an unidentified gray stone on a [[weapon]] or [[tool]] will act as if the stone is a [[whetstone]], which is new to SLASH'EM and designed for use with weapons, and the attempt will always fail if the gray stone is not a whetstone. As a result, it is somewhat harder to informally identify touchstones by applying or rubbing: iron weapons and tools will not produce the characteristic "scritch, scritch" message&mdash;iron wands and armor will behave as normal, as will any amulet made of iron (i.e. all of them, except the [[Amulet of Yendor]] or its [[cheap plastic imitation]]).
-[[Dipping]] a touchstone into a [[potion of amnesia]] will turn it into a [[flint stone]].  However, touchstones cannot be produced by [[upgrading items|upgrading]] flint stones.
+[[Dipping]] a touchstone into a [[potion of amnesia]] will turn it into a [[flint stone]]. This makes it a bad idea to use up the hero's only touchstone this way, since they cannot be made by [[upgrading]] any gray stone&mdash;however, it also provides a potential use for excess touchstones, by converting them to flint and then upgrading them into [[luckstone]]s or [[healthstone]]s.
 ===EvilHack===

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 }}
-A '''touchstone''' is a type of [[gem]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. It appears as a [[gray stone]] when unidentified.
+A '''touchstone''' is a type of [[gem]] that appears in ''[[NetHack]]''. It appears as a [[gray stone]] when [[Identification|unidentified]].
 ==Generation==
-All [[Archeologist]]s start the game with an identified uncursed touchstone.{{refsrc|src/u_init.c|37|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/u_init.c|676|nethack=3.6.7}}
+All [[Archeologist]]s start the game with an uncursed touchstone and knowledge of the touchstone's appearance.{{refsrc|src/u_init.c|37|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/u_init.c|676|nethack=3.6.7}}
-The [[shopkeeper]] of a jewelery [[shop]] is always generated with a touchstone.{{refsrc|src/shknam.c|676|nethack=3.6.7}}
+Touchstones make up {{frac|125}} (0.8%) of all gems randomly generated on the ground, within [[solid rock]] or as [[death drop]]s. General [[store]]s and jewelery shops can stock touchstones.
-The Mimic of the Mines map of [[Mines' End]] has a [[mimic]] pretending to be a touchstone.
+The [[shopkeeper]] of a jewelery shop is [[always generated with]] a touchstone.{{refsrc|src/shknam.c|676|nethack=3.6.7}}
 ==Description==
-Touchstones are used to identify valuable gems (including other gray stones), either directly or informally: [[Apply]]ing a touchstone to a gem, or else [[rubbing]] the gem on the touchstone, while you are not [[blind]] will produce a different message depending on the gem and the touchstone's beatitude.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2409|nethack=3.6.7}}
+[[Applying]] a touchstone will prompt the player to select a [[gem]] in the [[hero]]'s inventory, or any item if the touchstone is not identified&mdash;the #[[rub]] [[extended command]] can also be used to rub an item on the touchstone.
-A valuable gem will leave streaks of that gem's color on an uncursed touchstone, while [[worthless glass]] will instead leave scratch marks;{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2424|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2428|nethack=3.6.7}} rubbing either type of gem on another gray stone will leave colored scratch marks.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2463|nethack=3.6.7}} A blessed touchstone will immediately [[identify]] the gem and [[auto-identify]] itself if unidentified - an Archeologist or a [[Gnome (starting race)|gnomish]] character in any role can use uncursed touchstones as though they were blessed.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2413|nethack=3.6.7}} A cursed touchstone has a {{frac|5}} chance of shattering non-gray stone gems that are rubbed on it.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2376|nethack=3.6.7|name="shatter"}}
+If the hero applies a touchstone to any item made of [[iron]] or rubs such an item on a touchstone, it will produce a distinct noise:{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2349|nethack=3.6.7}}{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2476|name="ironscritch"|nethack=3.6.7}}
-Any item made of [[iron]] will produce a signature "scritch, scritch" noise when a touchstone is applied or rubbed against it, and any gem will produce the same message if you are blind while using the touchstone.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2391|nethack=3.6.7}} Using a touchstone while [[hallucinating]] will produce [[YAFM]] without identifying the gem.{{refsrc|src/apply.c|2391|nethack=3.6.7|name="fractal"}} Items made of other materials produce distinct messages when rubbed on a touchstone or one is applied to them.
+{{message|"scritch, scritch"}}
 ==Strategy==
-Touchstones can significantly ease inventory management even when uncursed: worthless glass can be informally identified, type-[[name]]d and then subsequently discarded to save space in your pack or [[bag]]s, allowing you to at least save resources in formally identifying valuable gems by other means. A blessed touchstone allows you to sell fully-identified valuable gems for full price and get the full [[Luck]] bonus for throwing them to [[unicorn]]s.
+Touchstones can significantly ease inventory management even when uncursed: worthless glass can be informally identified, type-[[named]] and then subsequently discarded to save space in your pack (including [[container]]s you are carrying); this at minimum saves resources in formally identifying valuable gems by other means. A blessed touchstone allows you to sell fully-identified valuable gems for full price and get the full [[luck]] bonus for throwing them to [[unicorn]]s.
-Touchstones also have some limited use in distinguishing iron items from others in their object class using the signature noise that applying one produces. This can be used to informally identify [[gauntlets of power]] and [[kicking boots]], or else eliminating them as the identity of non-iron [[gloves]] and [[boots]], though gauntlets of power can also be worn to auto-identify them if they are known to not be cursed.
+Touchstones also have some limited use in distinguishing iron pieces of [[armor]] from others in their object class using the signature noise that it produces. This can be used to informally identify [[gauntlets of power]] and [[kicking boots]], or else eliminate them as the identity of non-iron [[gloves]] and [[boots]], though gauntlets of power can also be worn to auto-identify them if they are known to be non-cursed.
 ===Identification===
-The most reliable means of identifying a touchstone is to apply it to an [[iron]] item or rub the item on it, ensuring you are not blind - it will produce a signature "scritch, scritch" as mentioned previously. [[Price identification]] is also reliable for identifying touchstones, as they are the only gray stone with a base price of 45[[zm]].
+The most reliable means of identifying a touchstone is to apply it to an iron item or rub the item on it as described above, watching for the signature "scritch, scritch". [[Price identification]] is also reliable for identifying touchstones, as they are the only gray stone with a base price of 45[[zm]].
-While hallucinating prevents you from actually using a touchstone to identify gems, attempting to do so will produce a specific message that can indirectly identify an uncursed gray stone as a touchstone.
+While hallucinating prevents you from actually using a touchstone to properly identify gems, attempting to do so will produce a specific message that can indirectly identify an uncursed gray stone as a touchstone.
 ==History==
-The touchstone first appears in [[NetHack 3.4.0]].
+The touchstone first appears in [[NetHack 3.4.0]]. From this version to [[NetHack 3.4.3]], including some variants based on those versions, Archeologists start out at Basic [[skill]] level in [[sling]]s as a result of their starting touchstone, which is considered sling [[ammunition]]. This is [[Bugs in NetHack 3.4.3#Bug C343-355|bug C343-355]], which is fixed for [[NetHack 3.6.0]] in May 2008 via {{commit|d5ca34a45b80450620cf689d8c25acc5b3f1876d}}.
 ==Messages==
@@ Line 49: / Line 57: @@
 {{message|You see <color> streaks on the stone.|You rubbed a valuable gem on an uncursed touchstone.}}
 {{message|You make scratch marks on the stone.|You rubbed a piece of worthless glass on an uncursed touchstone.}}
 {{message|Oh wow, man: Fractals!|You tried to use a touchstone while hallucinating.<ref name="fractal"/>}}
 {{message|A sharp crack shatters <one of> the <gem(s)>.|You destroyed a gem by rubbing it on a cursed touchstone.<ref name="shatter"/>}}
@@ Line 58: / Line 66: @@
 ==Variants==
 ===SLASH'EM===
-In [[SLASH'EM]], touchstones can only be used on gems - the [[whetstone]] is added for use with weapons.  Attempting to use an unidentified gray stone on a weapon will act as if the stone is a whetstone, with the attempt always failing if it is not.  As a result, it is somewhat harder to informally identify touchstones, as iron weapons and tools will not produce the characteristic "scritch, scritch" message.  Iron amulets, wands, and armor will still produce the expected message.
+In [[SLASH'EM]], attempting to use an unidentified gray stone on a [[weapon]] or [[tool]] will act as if the stone is a [[whetstone]], which is new to SLASH'EM and designed for use with weapons, and the attempt will always fail if the gray stone is not a whetstone. As a result, it is somewhat harder to informally identify touchstones by applying or rubbing: iron weapons and tools will not produce the characteristic "scritch, scritch" message&mdash;iron wands and armor will behave as normal, as will any amulet made of iron (i.e. all of them, except the [[Amulet of Yendor]] or its [[cheap plastic imitation]]).
-Dipping a touchstone into a [[potion of amnesia]] will turn it into a [[flint stone]].  However, touchstones cannot be produced by [[upgrading items|upgrading]] flint stones.
+[[Dipping]] a touchstone into a [[potion of amnesia]] will turn it into a [[flint stone]].  However, touchstones cannot be produced by [[upgrading items|upgrading]] flint stones.
 ===EvilHack===
-In [[EvilHack]], [[Giant (starting race)|giant]] characters can use uncursed touchstones as blessed, though they also start the game with knowledge of all worthless glass.
+In [[EvilHack]], [[Giant (starting race)|giant]] heroes can use uncursed touchstones as though they are blessed ones&mdash;they also start the game with knowledge of all worthless glass, making identifying valuable gems a matter of which ones they start with among other factors.
 ===notdNetHack===
-In [[notdNetHack]], [[Cavepeople]] can make a touchstone into a [[spear]] head that inflicts +3d5 [[study]] on hit.
+In [[notdNetHack]] and [[notnotdNetHack]], [[Caveman/dNetHack|Cavepeople]] can make touchstones into [[spearhead]]s: a spear using a touchstone spearhead inflicts +3d5 [[study]] on each hit.
 ==Encyclopedia entry==

@@ Line 43: / Line 43: @@
 The touchstone first appears in [[NetHack 3.4.0]].
-In [[NetHack 3.4.3]] and previous versions, including some variants based on those versions, Archeologists start out at basic skill level in sling as a side effect of their starting touchstone, which is considered sling ammunition. This is [[Bugs in NetHack 3.4.3#Bug C343-355|bug C343-355]], and was fixed in May 2008 via {{commit|d5ca34a45b80450620cf689d8c25acc5b3f1876d}}.
+In [[NetHack 3.4.3]] and previous versions, including some variants based on those versions, Archeologists start out at basic skill level in [[sling]]s as a side effect of their starting touchstone, which is considered sling [[ammunition]]. This is [[Bugs in NetHack 3.4.3#Bug C343-355|bug C343-355]], and was fixed in May 2008 via {{commit|d5ca34a45b80450620cf689d8c25acc5b3f1876d}}.
 ==Messages==

@@ Line 74: / Line 74: @@
 ==References==
 <references/>
-{{nethack-367|offset=2}}
+{{nethack-367|offset=1}}
 {{featured}}
 [[Category:Gems]]
 [[Category:Identification]]